Stay Close to Jehovah - End Notes - 14. THE FALSE TEACHING OF THE TRINITY

The Bible teaches that Jehovah God is the Creator and that he created Jesus before all other things.  ( Colossians 1:15, 16)   Jesus is not Almighty God. He never claimed that he was equal to God.  In fact, he said:  "The Father is greater than I am. (John 14:28; 1 Corinthians 15:28)  But some religions teach the Trinity, that God is three persons in one: the Father, the Son, and the holy spirit.  The word "Trinity" is not in the Bible.  This is a false teaching.

The holy spirit is God's active force, his invisible power in action that he uses to do his will. It is not a person.  For example, early Christians "became filled with holy spirit," And Jehovah said:  "I will pour out some of my spirit on every sort of flesh." ACTS 2:1-4, 17.

15. THE CROSS

When true Christians worship God, they do not use the cross.  Why not?

1. The cross has been used in false religion for a long time. In ancient times it was used in nature worship and in pagan sex rites. During the first 300 years after Jesus ' death, Christians did not use the cross for their worship. Much later, Roman Emperor Constantine made the cross a symbol of Christianity. The symbol was used to try to make Christianity more popular. But the cross had nothing to do with Jesus Christ. The New Catholic Encyclopedia explains:  "The cross is found in both pre-Christian and non-Christian cultures." 

2. Jesus did not die on a cross.  The Greek words translated "cross" basically mean  mean "an upright stake," "a timber," or "a tree,"  The Companion Bible explains:  "There is nothing in the Greek of the [New Testament] even to imply two pieces of timber."  Jesus died on an upright stake. 

3. Jehovah does  not want us to use images or symbols in our worship. -EXODUS 20:4, 5; 1 Corinthians 10:14.

Chapter 5, paragraph 12

16. THE MEMORIAL

Jesus commanded his disciples to observe the Memorial of his death.  They do this each year on Nisan 14, the same date that the Israelites celebrated the Passover.  Bread and wine, which represent Jesus'  body and blood, are passed around to everyone at the Memorial. Those who will rule with Jesus in heaven eat the bread and drink the wine.  Those who have the hope of living forever one earth respectfully attend the Memorial but  do not eat the bread or drink the wine. 

Chapter 5, paragraph 21

17. SOUL

In the English edition of the New World Translation, the word "soul"  is used to describe (1) a person, (2) an animal , or (3) the life of a person or animal.  Here are some examples: 

* A Person.  "In Noah's day . . . a few people, that is, eight souls, were carried safely through the water."  (1 Peter 3:20) Here the word "souls" refers to the  people -Noah and his wife, their three sons, and the sons' wives.

* An animal.  "God said:  'Let the waters swarm with living creatures ["souls," ], and let flying creatures fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.'  Then God said: 'Let the earth bring forth living creatures ["souls,"] according to their  kinds, domestic animals and creeping animals and wild animals of the earth according to their kinds.' And it was so." - GENESIS 1:20, 24.

* The life of a person or animal.  Jehovah told Moses:  "All the men who were seeking to kill you ["seeking your soul,"] are dead." (Exodus 4:19). When Jesus was on earth: "I am the fine shepherd, the fine shepherd surrenders his life ["soul"] in behalf of the sheep." - JOHN 10:11. 

In addition, when a person does something with his "whole soul," this means that he does it willingly and to the best of his ability.  (Matthew 22:37; Deuteronomy 6:5)  The word "soul" can also be used to describe the desire or appetite of a living creature.  A dead person or a dead body can be referred to as a dead soul.  - NUMBERS 6:6; PROVERBS 23:2; ISAIAH 56:11; HAGGAI 2:13. 

Chapter 6, paragraph 17

Next time: Stay Close to Jehovah - End Notes - 18.  SPIRIT

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